Open House London

6th November 2017

Commencing in 1992, Open House is an annual event which provides free access to a large number of buildings across London which are considered to be of architectural significance. This exciting two-day event is organised by Open-City in London and aims to bring designers and general public together to appreciate the most creative, challenging and unique ideas as well as to assess the buildings’ performance from the user’s point of view. Only this year the event provided free access to over 800 properties across London.

A member of our team went on a trip to explore some of the fantastic residential schemes including the Hidden House and the Modern Side Extension by Coffey Architects as well as Mount Pleasant by Peter Barber Architects, where Architects have demonstrated a creative, problem-solving approach as well as a rigorous attention to detail and appreciation for materiality. The tours and talks organised as part of the event were also valuable and provided further insight into the buildings’ performance in the post-occupancy stage

The opportunities and lessons provided by post-built reviews and client feedback are arguably the most important sources of crucial information for architects and designers. The performance of our buildings must be assessed in years to come for the industry to be able to gain an essential understanding of the successes/failures of all aspects of the design after the project’s completion. The post-occupancy review is also a reinforcement of strong relationships with clients and a chance to learn about the influence of the design on their lives.

We are thankful to all those who contributed to the Open House event and we look forward to exploring more next year.